Transformed: Spiritual Health - Day 3

Anyone who belongs to Christ has become a new person. Your life is gone; a new life has begun! 2 Corinthians 5:17 (NLT)

When you come to Jesus, it's like he writes everything you've ever done wrong on a big blackboard and then says, "We're just going to erase all that.  We are going to start over. You're going to get a fresh new start." It's not just turning over a new leaf, but getting a totally new life. You become a new person. Jesus gives you a new spiritual identity.

Here's the blunt truth of why this is so important. Every time you sin, it damages your dignity. When you break God's principles, you don't just hurt other people and God, you hurt yourself. Sin splits your soul. Every time you sin, it replaces a little part of the self respect with a little bit of shame. This shame begins to pile up in your life and you begin to try to push it out of the way by staying busy or playing sports or getting drunk or having parties or whatever.

Jesus is in the dignity restoring business. He doesn't just ignore your sin, he wipes it out and makes you a new person in his sight.

Hear this carefully. Because you are in Christ, it doesn't matter what you've done. It doesn't matter who you've done it with. It doesn't matter how long you've done it. It doesn't matter where you've been. What matters is what direction your feet are heading today. God says your past is history, your life has sanctity, and your identity has dignity because Jesus died for you. When you trust Christ he gives you a brand new identity and makes all things new!

Next Steps. Write down your answers to these questions. 

9. What did you hear?

10. What do you think?

11. What will you do?

12. Now talk to God...

Work Cited

Warren, R. (2014). Transformed: How God Changes Us. Rancho Santa Margarita, CA: Saddleback Church.